6 Best Yerba Mate Brands : Reviews & Buying Guide
Yerba Mate, it’s the healthy alternative to coffee which provides just as much kick.
It’s the national beverage in many South American countries like Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
There are even special ceremonies arranged to share the drink with friends using a gourd (special mug) and bombilla (straw).
It’s truly a magical drink that’s filled with health benefits and mind changing stimulation.
It’s also a good alternative to coffee for people with sensitive guts.
In this article, we will walk through everything you need to know to choose the best yerba mate brands on the planet including how to make yerba mate and the specific benefits that this drink has been shown to contain.
6 Best Yerba Mate Brands (Reviews)
#1 ECOTEAS Organic Unsmoked Yerba Mate Tea Bags
#2 Kiss Me Organics Yerba Mate Tea
If you’re looking for a great bagged Yerba Maté tea product, this Organic Yerba Maté Tea should be your top choice. Kiss Me Organics products only use fresh, pure organic or sustainably wild harvested ingredients to maintain their natural purity.
#3 INATO Organic Yerba Mate
This brand of Yerba Mate is simply the finest you can buy. The mate leaves are organic, wild-harvested, and shade-grown. INATO does an excellent job of growing and harvesting their yerba mate leaves.
This product also contains 100% leaves and no sticks or dust ensuring you get only the best yerba mate leaf. The mate comes from south Brazil where the rainforest meets high altitudes allowing for the perfect growing conditions. If you’re looking for a top-notch yerba mate you can’t go wrong with INATO’s brand.
#4 Cruz De Malta Yerba Mate
This brand of Yerba Mate from Capital teas is a combination of energizing mate and green tea making for the ultimate synergy. It contains the health benefits of both yerba mate and green tea and comes in loose-leaf form for perfect steeping.
Capital teas do an excellent job sourcing their teas and mate and this brand is up there with the best yerba mate products. If you’re looking for a healthy, energizing yerba mate drink that has a tasty blend of green tea, mate, and lemon, try this product.
#5 Guayaki Organic Yerba Mate
Guayaki is one of the best yerba mate brands in the United States. They were the first fair trade yerba mate company in the world. They pride themselves on running a sustainable business while providing jobs to rainforest people and helping restore the rainforest.
This product that they offer is an excellent loose-leaf yerba mate from the rainforests of South America. It comes in a few different flavors but even the original tastes great and provides all the health benefits that come with mate. If you’re looking for an excellent product at a fair price this is your drink.
#6 Bottled Guayaki Yerba Mate Mint
This is a bottled product by Guayaki but I had to include it on the list because this bottled mate is awesome. The bottles, as well as the cans, come in a few different flavors. One of the best tasting flavors is the mint terere which contains yerba mate, peppermint, spearmint, and a hint of lemon and sugar. It’s a refreshing brew that is also very healthy.
What Exactly is Yerba Mate?
Yerba mate is an herb that comes from the leaves of the holly tree which grows in South American rainforests. The scientific name for the holly tree is Ilex paraguariensis. The main countries this plant is grown in are Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil.
This drink has been a routine in the lives of the indigenous people in South America. They have drunk yerba mate to enlighten the mind and rejuvenate the body since the beginning of time.
The fun thing about the ritual of drinking Yerba Mate is that it is tradition to drink this herbal infusion out of a mug called a gourd with a special straw called a bombilla. The bombilla straw contains a filter at the bottom to separate any mate leaves which are in the cup.
Yerba mate contains caffeine, theophylline, theobromine which gives it its stimulant effect. This beverage contains around the same amount of caffeine as coffee but with more health benefits and fewer jitters. This is why so many people find yerba mate an excellent alternative to coffee.
Also Read: 10 Best Teas for Energy Boost and Focus
Yerba Mate Benefits
Yerba mate is known for being a healthier alternative to coffee. As well as offering the stimulant effect of caffeine it contains many beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It is also lighter on your stomach than coffee because it is much more alkalizing instead of acidic.
It’s a perfect substitute for anyone with a sensitive gut who still wants the stimulation of coffee.
Here are a few healthy compounds found in mate 1:
- Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B5
- Calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc
- Carotene, fatty acids, chlorophyll, flavonols, polyphenols, tannins, 15 amino acids, pantothenic acid
- Xanthines like Caffeine, theobromine, theophylline
Here are a few specific health benefits associated with Yerba Mate:
- Can enhance energy and mental focus source
- Can improve physical performance source
- Boosts metabolism and can help lose weight source
- Can strengthen immune system source
But, like any beverage that contains a healthy dose of caffeine, it’s best to listen to your body and use it in moderation.
How to Make Yerba Mate
Making Yerba mate is pretty simple. You can make it in a regular teacup if you want, but the best way to do it is the traditional way with a gourd and bombilla. Below is the process for 
making Yerba mate in a gourd and bombilla.
What You Need:
- Yerba Mate
- Gourd (special mug)
- Bombilla (special straw with filter)
- Hot water
Here Are The Steps to Make Yerba Mate:
- Boil water to around 160 degrees, hot but not to a boil
- Insert 4-5 big teaspoons of yerba mate leaf into your gourd to fill it about halfway
- Place your hand over the gourd, turn upside down, and shake well to separate leave parts in the gourd from heavier leaves on bottom to lighter on top
- Keep the gourd with mate on an angle to create a slope of leaves inside
- Insert the bombilla straw
- Pour a little bit of cold water over the leaves for soaking
- Finally, take hot water and pour over the mate leaves
- Enjoy and feel the euphoria!
What are a Gourd and Bombilla?
A gourd is a special mug that people traditionally drink yerba mate out of and a bombilla is the metal straw that contains a filter to drink your mate with.
You can steep Yerba mate in a regular teacup, but the best way to drink it is the traditional way with the gourd and bombilla. Below is an example of a beautiful hand-made gourd and bombilla from Tealyra.
Also Read: Best Rooibos Tea: Reviews & Buying Guide
Conclusion
Yerba mate is a tasty herbal beverage from South America which offers tons of health benefits. It’s an awesome substitute for coffee and provides the same amount of stimulation without the jitters. It’s also a good alternative for people with sensitive stomachs since the mate is much lighter than the acidic coffee.
If you’re looking to try this awesome enlightening beverage you won’t be disappointed. Do yourself a favor and try out the best yerba mate if you want to kick the coffee habit!
